Internet transactions are becoming an ever-increasing aspect of everyday life. Retail purchases, travel arrangements and banking activities are but a few of the transactions for which Internet transactions have largely replaced conventional paper and/or in-person exchanges. Similarly, service providers and vendors of Internet transactions have become increasingly aware of the Internet as a business conduit and the need for maintaining an effective and efficient web presence. Accordingly, the vast majority of modern businesses and institutions have websites, and many of these provide for interactive transactions in addition to passive information dissemination.
Business owners have also recognized that an effective web presence for interactive transactions requires providing a positive user experience, as the same ease of use that makes Internet transactions attractive also facilitates pursuing a transaction elsewhere on the website of another provider. In other words, potential customers may easily pursue a competitor's website if your own does not provide a positive user experience. However, many parameters affect the user experience of a website transaction. Network connection speed, user network proximity, concurrent user volume, and website execution complexity and speed all affect the perceived user experience, frequently based on the speed of the transaction. Accordingly, it would be beneficial to evaluate website performance and identify slowdowns and bottlenecks which may contribute to a negative user experience.